Staff Bio
Mike Underwood, PhD
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Dr. Underwood directs CDC's school health activities that promote the health and well-being of adolescents through school-based programs, data collection, and scientific research and evaluation.
Role at CDC
Dr. Mike Underwood is acting director of CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH). He leads efforts to promote young people's health and well-being through school-based surveillance, research and evaluation, and school-based-programs. Under his leadership and strategic direction, DASH develops and implements science-based programs and social context interventions for adolescents.
Previous experience
Dr. Underwood normally serves as chief of the Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control's (DCPC's) principal scientific research unit. Before joining DCPC, he was chief of the School-based Surveillance Branch in DASH, responsible for leading the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the School Health Profiles, and other data collection systems. Under Dr. Underwood's leadership, DASH expanded surveillance coverage across the country, tracked key indicators to monitor emerging public health issues, and optimized data use to support youth health needs.
Dr. Underwood joined CDC in 2009 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in DCPC. He worked closely with federal partners, state health agencies, and nongovernment organizations to develop cancer prevention programs and screening strategies and to mobilize support for cancer survivors. In 2015, he joined CDC's Immunization Services Division to lead the Support, Evaluation, and Surveillance team, an interdisciplinary group of scientists working to monitor vaccination coverage and measure the economic impact of immunization program activities.